Range of motion (or ROM), is the distance (linear or angular) that a movable object may normally travel while properly attached to another. It is also called range of travel, particularly when talking about mechanical devices and in mechanical engineering fields. For example, a volume knob (a rotary fader) may have a 300° range of travel from the "off" or muted (fully attenuated) position at lower left, going clockwise to its maximum-loudness position at lower right.
As used in the biomedical and weightlifting communities, range of motion refers to the distance and direction a joint can move between the flexed position and the extended position. The act of attempting to increase this distance through therapeutic exercises (range of motion therapy—stretching from flexion to extension for physiological gain) is also sometimes called range of motion.
Read more about Range Of Motion: Measuring Range of Motion, Limited Range of Motion, See Also
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